A decades-long tradition returns to Mendon this weekend, as the Mendon Kiwanis Showboat kicks off its three-night run Thursday.

Featuring an equal balance of music and stage comedy, the Showboat in Mendon is one of just a few still active in Southwest Michigan. Its roots date to an era when the music and comedy routines were done by men only and in blackface, but in later years, it has emerged as more of a non-competitive talent show featuring local people and both genders.

Longtime cast members Donna Dunlap and Kathy Pendergrass said family fun is the Showboat’s goal. A close second, however, is providing an opportunity to showcase local singing and musical talent.

Pendergrass said she moved to the area in the late 1970s and for years thought participation was limited to Mendon Kiwanis members.

“If you enjoy singing or playing an instrument, it’s a great opportunity to show off your talent,” she said. “Nobody up here claims to be a professional, so we are always looking for people with even the smallest desire to sing or act to join us.”

This year’s cast has about 35 members and the theme is “The Not-So-Wild West.”

Dunlap said the theme was chosen as it was the most-suggested by last year’s cast members. Dunlap said she left a suggestion box in the makeup room during last year’s performances.

“Finding a theme that’s just right for the Showboat can sometimes be a challenge but this idea of the Wild West was a very popular selection,” she said. “From the standpoint of music and costumes, this worked out really well and it’s been a lot of fun.”

Pendergrass said she is a hillbilly at heart, so the musical selections were an easy choice.

The two-act performance features about two dozen songs – “Back in the Saddle Again” is one example – intertwined with comedy routines. The local country-western-bluegrass band Deadwood will open the second half with a trio of songs.

One notable difference this year will be the singers performing on the floor in front of the stage instead of on the stage itself. The layout change allowed for full use of the stage for props, including a campfire setting and a saloon. The band, meanwhile, was repositioned to the back of the stage.

Rehearsals have taken place twice a week and started shortly after the fair. The 2013 presentation features five new faces, a fact Dunlap and Pendergrass said is noteworthy.

“We lost quite a few cast members in the last year … Pastor Ward Pierce passed away, Violet Pierce, Jerry Bennett, Roy Marshall was a longtime captain,”

Page 2 of 2 - Dunlap said. “We’re hoping the Showboat continues for years and years but we need to get some more people out here, some younger people who can help keep the tradition going.”

And, Pendergrass added, participants don’t need to be from the Mendon Kiwanis Club and they don’t even have to be from the area.

In all, about 500 people typically attended the event over its three-day run, which takes place in the Mendon Elementary School gymnasium.

Tickets are $8 in advance and $10 at the door. All proceeds go to the Mendon Kiwanis, who return the money to the community in the form of scholarships to local students.